Controlling device for clockworks and the like



Aug. 10 1926.

H. SCHIEFERSTEIN CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR CLOCKWORKS AND THE LIKE FiledMarch 1. 1923 Fig. 3

I Oscillations Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

UNITED STATES HEINRICH SOHIIFEBSTEIN, OI BERLlN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR CLOCKWORKS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed larch 1, 1928, Serial Nb. 822,162, and in Germany July17, 1923,

Time mechanisms, operated by an oscillating system such as pendulums orbalance wheels are regulated by changing the efiective lengths of thependulums or by adjusting the effective length of the springs of thebalance wheels, and it is also known that these mechanisms areconstructed to automatically compensate for differences due to change intemperature.

The present invention relates to method and means for regulating timemechanisms operated by one or more oscillating systems in order toobtain the highest degree of free oscillation, to dispense with theusual escapement mechanisms to simplify the construction of such timemechanisms, to permit ready adjustment and to obtain noiselessmovements.

The object of my invention is an oscillating system for watches andclock-works which possesses the .greatest possible exactness of workingand the oscillation number of which can be varied within wide limits.

The drawings show by way of example embodiments of my invention inFigures 1 and 2, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the curvesillustrating the working of the invention principle and Figure 4 shows amodification of 'Fig. 1.

Assuming that a relatively inexactly constructed and operatingclock-work is to be controlled by an oscillating system, for instance, apendulum, of course the load imposed on this system by the clock-workwill be larger the more inexact the construction of the clock-work andthe more irregular its working is. But, by coupling as shown in Figure1, a secondary pendulum (1 with the highly loaded primary pendulum a thesecondary pendulum a has only to compensate the irregularities of theprimary pendulum a, provoked by the clock-work. This compensationcan beeffected by means of a considerably smaller uantity of energy than thecompensation of t e irregularities of the clock-work and, consequently,the second oscillating system may be coupled much looser than the firstsystem. By means of such a combination of two coupled oscillatingsystems a very high exactness of working can be obtained for theclock-work mechanism to be controlled.

The two pendulums a and a Fig. 1. are suspended at 0 and c and arecoupled together by means of a connecting rod 72 and an elastic couplingmember for instance a flat spring 10 and the rimary pendulum a, isdriven from the cloc -work w by means of the crank g, the rod h and theflat spring 70,.

I have diagrammatically shown a conventlonal clock work w one of thewheels of which is provided with a crank pin 9 connected by rod h tobent leaf spring k, substantially U-shaped, b a connection y, ad ustable(Figs. 1, 2 an 4) along one leg of the spring. The other leg of the sring 18 connected to the rod of the main en ulum a by means of a similaradjustab e connec tion m To the main pendulum a is pivoted at 4 (Fig. 4)the connecting rod h which is pivoted at 5 to the connection is,adjustable along one leg of the U-shaped spring h The other leg of thespring is, is similarly connected to the rod of the auxiliary pendulum(1 by the adjustable connection In case it be desired to obtain a muchfiner or closer compensation and regulation, a second auxiliary penduluma may be connected to the first auxiliary pendulum a in the same manneras the first auxiliary pendulum a is connected to the main pendulum aExperiments have proved, that two pendulums, which are suspended in acommon rod is, as shown in Figure 2, are coupled sufiiciently togetherby means of the microscopically small movement and torsion of the rod10,, and the supporting bar 0 so as to en able the secondary pendulum ato exert its correcting action.

Of course three or more oscillating sys tems may be combined in themanner of the invention. Experiments have shown that, already byproviding a single secondary oscillating system, the oscillations of aprimary oscillating system are corrected to a high and practicallysufiicient degree so that further secondary oscillating systems can bedispensed with. On the other hand, it is possible by adding such asecondary pendulum to improve the oscillating movement also of anon-variable controlling means and even of controlling systems excitedby interrupted shocks within the indicated limits. Consequently,existing clocks and Watches of the old construction may be corrected inthis way. The exactness of the operation of a clock-work, which. whenemploying the usual simple controlling means, is extremely dependent onthe preciseness of the construction and manufacture, becomes dependentonly on the preciseness of the working of the oscillating system, whenprovidinga coupled oscillating system according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows that the secondary pendulum a, is not syntonized butdistuned to the primary pendulum a. which, for the purpose, is longerthan the pendulum (1,. The two pendulums are coupled together by the rodis, in the manner shown in Figure 2 and the primary pendulum a is drivenfrom the clock-work by means of the crank g, the rod h and the flatspring k, as in the case of Figure 1.

The secondary pendulum a swings more rapidly than the primary pendulum aand consequently a certain quantity of energy flows from the primary tothe secondary pendulum whereby the latter is caused periodically tooscillate, these oscillatlons coming to rest always again after few ampltudes. When the primary pendulum a is retarded from time to time by anyirregularity of the clock-work mechanism, it swings more slowly, that isto say, it seems to become longer and to withdraw from'the resonanceposition. Thereby the quantity of energy passing from the primary to thesecondary pendulum decreases so that, on the other hand, the primarypendulum becomes unloaded to a corresponding degree.

On the-contrary, when the resistance of the clock-work mechanismdecreases, the first pendulum obtains a larger quantity of drivingenergy, swings more rapidly and, in a manner, becomes shorter.Consequently this pendulum approaches to resonance position andtransmits a larger quantity of energy to the secondary pendulum. Thus aiminution or an augmentation of the resistance of the secondary pendulumcounteracts each augmentation or diminution, respectively, of theclock-work resistance.

In Figure 3 the curve R in full lines designates the resonance curve ofthe primary pendulum. en a variation of the resistance of the clock-worktakes place the resonance curve is displaced, for instance, in theposition R, when the clockwork runs more rapidly and in the position Rwhen the clock-work runs more slowly. If,.at normal running, forinstance, the energy amount E is transmitted from the first to thesecondary pendulum, the transmitted energy has the value E in the caseof an increasing speed and the value E in the case of a decreasing speedof running. Thus, when the secondary pendulum is distuned relatively tothe first pendulum to a suitable degree by adjusting its variable lengthcorrespondingly, an absolutely regular working of the first pendulum isobtained by the action of the secondary pendulum coupled therewith.

Furthermore the principle of distunin according to Figure 1 may beemployed also for two oscillating s stems coupled by means of an elasticmem r or by other means as, for example, as shown in Fi 1, which can bedone by adjusting the %ob of the secondary pendulum or pendulums. Thecoupling member is adjustable so as to be enabled to vary thetransmission of energy. Instead of one secondar pendulum, two or moresecondary oscillating systems may be provided.

Of course the invention is ap licable not only to watches andclock-works but also for controlling other mechanisms b means ofoscillating systems. It will thus e seen that I fprovide two or moreoscillating systems one 0 which, the primary system, receives drivingimpulses and the'other or others influence the operation of the primarysystem either directly or indirectly; directly by being connectedthereto or indirectly coupled or influenced by mass action, or by both.

What I claim is 1. A controlling device for time mechanisms comprisingan oscillating system, a clock work to drive the same, a secondaryoscillating system, and an elastic connecting member coupling thesystems.

2. The combination with a time mechanism, of an oscillating systemdriven thereby, a secondary oscillating system separate from said timemechanism and a common support for the two systems.

3. A controlling device for time mechanisms comprising a primaryoscillating system and a secondary oscillating system, an adjustableelastic coupling means connecting the systems for adjusting the energytransmission from one to the other oscillating system.

4. A device for controlling the running of time mechanisms comprising aprimary oscillating system, a clock-work driving the same, a secondaryoscillating system oscillating relatively to the first system andcoupled mechanically therewith and means to adjust the time ofoscillation of said secondary system.

5. A controlling device for time mechanisms comprising a primaryoscillating system a secondary oscillating system coupled therewith andmeans to independently adjust the time of oscillation of said secondarysystem relatively to the first to diminish the amount of energytransmitted to the secondary oscillating system when oscillation of theprimary oscillating system retard and vice versa and a time mechanismcontrolled by and driving said primary system.

6. A device for controlling the running of time mechanisms comprising anoscillating system, secondary oscillating system distuned relatively tothe first and adjustable coupling means connecting these oscillatingsystems.

, 7. A device for controlling the running of time mechanisms, comprisian oscillating system, a secondary osc' ating sys tem operatingrelatively to the first system, a support common to the systems,adjustable coupling means connecting the systems and means to adjust thetime of oscillation of the respective s stems.

8. A device or controlling the running of time mechanisms comprising aprimary oscillating system and a plurality of secondary oscillatingsystems yieldingly coupled with said primary system for correcting saidprima system and a clock work arranged to d rive said primary system andcontrolled thereb 9. In a device i or controlling the running of timemechanisms, a primary oscillating system and a plurality of secondaryoscillating systems connected in series and yieldingly coupled with saidprimary system for correcting said primary system and a clock workarranged to drive said primary system and controlled thereby.

10. In a control for time mechanisms, a

plurality of pendulums, resilient means connecting the pendulums, adriving crank mechanism connected to one of the pendulums and a springinterposed in said mechanism, said crank and pendulums operatinsubstantially in sync ronism.

11. n a control for time mechanisms, a plurality of pendulums resilientmeans connecting the pendulums a driving crank,

a connection including one of the pendulums and crank, and adjustingdevices for said resilient means.

12. In a device for controlling the running of time mechanisms, anoscillatory system driven from the time mechanism, and at least onesecondary oscillating system and means connecting the systems in timecorrecting relation, said secondary system having no separate drivingmeans.

13. A device for controlling the running 45 of time mechanisms, a primaoscillating system, mechanism to drive said system, a

secondary oscillating system coupled to the primary s stem and receivingits driving impulses t erefrom, said secondary system capable ofrelative movement wit respect to said first system.

In testimon whereof I aflixm signature.

HEIN ICH SCHIEFE STEIN.

